Captive dispensing closure for containers



Nov. 7, 1967 M. s. STULL' 3,351,249

CAPTIVE DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 19, 1966 2b r, r 4 36b U 56 k Z8 I 501: I

INVENTOR, Morton B SiuLL BY v 4" AGENT United States Patent 3,351,249 CAPTIVE DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Morton B. Stull, Boonton, NJ. Stnll Engraving Co., 221-223 Banta Ave; Garfield, NJ. 07026) Filed Aug. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 573,717 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-520) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE connector Wall.

This invention relates to container closures, and more particularly to plastic closures of the captive cap type, embodying a screw cap which if desired may remain permanently on the container while being movable thereon between an open, dispensing position and a closed sealing position.

Objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved captive closure construction of the above type, which is especially adapted for reliably controlling and dispensing viscous materials in that it provides a relatively large discharge channel while at the same time effecting a tight seal when the cap is in closed position; to provide an improved closure as above characterized, which facilitates precise placement of the substance being dispensed, which facilitates flow-back into the container, which is simple in construction and easily molded, convenient to use, reliable at all times, and economically produceable with the use of but two cooperable parts or components.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

FIG. 1 is a view partly in axial section and partly in side elevation, showing a closure construction in accordance with the invention, the screw cap being in the closed position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the closure of FIG. 1, with the screw cap in the open, dispensing position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the closure construction.

FIG. 4 is a view like that of FIG. 1 but showing a modification of the invention wherein a pouring lip enables precise placement of the dispensed substance to be effected. The screw cap is in the closed position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the closure construction of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view like that of FIG. 1 but showing another modification of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the closure construction of FIG. 6.

Considering first FIGS. 13, the closure construction as illustrated therein comprises a closure body member 10 which may constitute the neck part of a container 12, the member 10 having a main axis 1414 and comprising a centrally disposed tubular portion 16 extending ice along the axis 14-14 and constituting a discharge passage. The tubular portion 16 comprises an upward continuation of the body member 10, and the latter has external screw threads 18 which are engageable with cooperable internal threads 20 of a screw cap 22 turnably carried on the body member 10 and also movable axially thereon.

The cap 22 may be screwed to a sealing, lower position as illustrated in FIG. 1 under the action of the screw threads 18, 20 or else to a raised, dispensing position which is indicated in FIG. 2. Details of the screw thread engagement and cooperable stops on the screw cap 22 and body member 10 are not given herein since they form no part of the present invention per se, being explained and illustrated in detail in my Patent No. 3,216,- 630 dated Nov. 9, 1965, and entitled Closure for Containers. The screw cap 22 is held captive on the body member 10 by engagement between an annular external bead 24 provided on the tubular portion 16, which bead is engageable with a cooperable internal annular bead 26 provided in the screw cap 22.

The body member 10 and the screw cap 22 may be advantageously molded of a relatively soft, yieldable plastic substance such as polyethylene or similar formulations.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a large-area passage means through the body member 10 and screw cap 22, by which thick, viscous substances may be readily dispensed from the container 10, yet the arrangement is such that an effective and tight seal is had to prevent leakage when the cap is in the position of FIG. 1. As shown, the tubular portion 16 has a relatively large bore 28 through which the viscous substance may pass. Further, as provided by the invention, the screw cap 22 has at a level below the top Wall thereof, an annular sealing portion 30 which is adapted to be frictionally received in the tubular portion 16 of the body member to seal against the same when the screw cap 22 is in the lower position on the body member 10 as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the sealing portion 30 includes an annular external bead 32 which becomes slightly temporarily imbedded in the yieldable plastic substance of the tubular portion 16, as shown.

Simultaneously with engagement of the sealing portion 30 in the smooth bore 28 of the tubular portion 16, the annular bead 24 of the latter is engaged with and slightly imbedded in the inner surface 34 of the smooth bore provided in the upper portion of the screw cap 22.

Between the sealing portion 30 of the screw cap and the peripheral top wall 36 thereof there is a connector means which joins the said portion and peripheral wall. The said connector means includes a depending supporting wall in the form of a plurality of ribs 38 to the bottoms of which the sealing portion 30 is joined. The said connector means thus has at least one discharge passage 40 extending through it, communicating with a large central passage or opening 42 provided in the top of the screw cap 22.

In FIGS. 1-3 the depending supporting wall constituted of the ribs 38 is shown as having four of the discharge passages 40, thus providing a large-area path, in conjunction with the large central opening 42 of the screw cap. This construction, together with the relatively large area of the bore 28 of the tubular portion 16 of the body memher enables the cap construction to readily handle and dispense relatively thick, viscous substances from the container 12. However, with the screw cap in the FIG. 1 position, an effective and reliable seal is established between the portion 30 of the screw cap and the portion 16 of the body member etfectively preventing discharge or leakage.

Preferably, as illustrated, the sealing portion 30 is conical as shown at 44 whereby it is more readily yieldable in response to radially inward forces on the annular bead 32. Thus its insertion in the tubular portion 16 is facilitated. The conical formation 44 adjoins at its base the discharge passages 40, and this facilitates flow-back of the viscous substance into the container prior to the closure construction being again sealed. For it will be observed, from an inspection of FIG. 2, that the viscous substance may, first drop downward from the bead 32 and thereafter drop through. the bore 28 of the tubular portion 16, back into the container 12.

Another embodiment in the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein a spout means is provided to enable a more precise placement of the viscous substance to be had. In this figure, the body member 10 is the same as that already described above. In FIGS. 4 and the screw cap 22a has a sealing portion 30a provided with an annular external bead 32a. The sealing portion 30a is located below the top plane of the screw cap 22a, and is connected thereto by a depending supporting wall 38a which is joined to the transverse top wall 50 of the cap.

In the top Wall 50 there is a semi-circular or crescentshaped discharge passage 42a located outside of the depending supporting wall 38a. Also, the screw cap 22a has a raised, pointed and curved spout 52 surrounding the semi-circular discharge passage 42a. The sealing portion 32a is connected to the peripheral wall portion 36a of the screw cap by an annular top wall portion 54, together with the depending supporting wall 38a.

Considering FIG. 4 it will be seen that with the screw cap 22a in the lower position an elfective seal is had with the body member 10, and as seen in FIG. 5 when the screw cap 22a is in the raised, dispensing position the viscous substance may flow out through the bore 28 of the tubular portion 16, and through the semi-circular discharge opening 42a in the top wall 50 of the screw cap, being fed directly to the spout 52 which collects the viscous substance into a smaller area.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, wherein the body member is the same as that already described above. The screw cap 2212 has a sealing portion 30b provided with an external annular bead 32b which engages the inside of the tubular portion 16 of the body member 10. The sealing portion 30b is connected to the top peripheral wall portion 36b of the screw cap 2211 by means of a depending wall portion 38b and a transverse annular top wall portion 54b which is disposed radially inward of the peripheral top wall portion 36b. The transverse top wall portion 5412 has a plurality of discharge passages 42b, said passages being disposed at the upper end of an annular space 56 formed between the depending supporting wall 381; and the outer wall 58b of the screw cap 32b. It will be seen that the said annular space is occupied by the tubular portion 16 of the body member 10. When the screw cap 22b is in the closed position of FIG. 6, the portion 30b will seal against the inner wall of the tubular portion 16, providing an effective stopper. When the screw cap 22b is in the raised position, the viscous substance may be discharged through the bore 28 of the tubular portion 16 and thence through the discharge passages or openings 42b in the top of the screw cap 22b.

It will now be understood that in accordance with the present invention I have provided an improved captive closure construction for a container which is especially adapted for reliably controlling and dispensing thick or viscous substances, such closure construction providing a relatively large discharge channel while at the same time effecting a tight seal when the cap is in the closed position. The improved closure construction when provided with the spout 52, facilitates a precise placement of the substance being dispensed. The closure construction is simple and easily molded of plastic substance, is conven ient to use, and may be economically produced, involving but two simple cooperable parts or components.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A captive closure construction for a container, comprising in combination:

(a) a closure body member having a main axis and having a centrally disposed tubular portion extending along said axis and constituting a discharge passage, said tubular portion having an annular top rim provided with a smooth bore,

(b) a screw cap turnably carried on said body member and movably axially thereon,

(c) said screw cap having a peripheral top wall portion, and having at a level below said top wall portion a dished, hollow and imperforate sealing and liquid-blocking portion adapted to engage. and be frictionally received in the annular top rim of the tubular discharge portion of the body member to. seal against the same when the screw cap is in a lower position on the body member, said dished imperiorate sealing portion having an annular, radially inwardly yielding free bottom rim surrounding a central space which is at all times in communication with the space defined by the bore of said annular top rim, said bottom rim being axially slidable in and along said annular top rim,

(d) connector means joining said dished imperforate sealing portion and peripheral top wall portion of the screw cap, said connector means including a supporting wall extending between said portions and to which the sealing portion is joined, said connector means having at least one discharge passage extending through it, to carry substance for discharge from the container when the screw cap is in a raised position onthe body member, with its sealing portion removed from the top rim of the body member.

2. A captive closure construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said supporting wall of the screw cap has a plurality of discharge passages extending through it,

(b) the top of the screw cap having a central discharge opening communicating with said discharge passages.

. 3. A captive closure construction as in claim 2, wherem:

(a) said dished imperforate sealing portion is conical and yieldable to facilitate the insertion of the free llnjottom rim in the tubular portion of the body memer. 4. A captive closure construction as in claim 3, wherein:

(a) the base of the conical portion adjoins the discharge passages, said conical portion thus facilitating fiow-back into the container.

' 5. A captive closure construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said connector means incluudes a transverse top wall portion disposed radially inward of said peripheral top wall,

(b) said top wall portion having said one discharge passage.

6. A captive closure construction as in claim 5, wherein:

(a) said screw cap has a spout extending upward from the peripheral top Wall thereof at a point adjacent said one discharge passage.

7. A captive closure construction as in claim 1, wherein 3,351,249 5 6 (a) said top wall portion has a plurality of discharge rality of discharge passages and the latter being dispassages disposed in a circle. posed at the upper end of the annular space. 8. A captive closure construction as in claim 7, wherein:

(a) the screw cap has an annular sealing wall portion References Cited engageable with the exterior of the tubular portion 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS of e y member, 1,545,103 7/1925 Huntoon 222-546 X (b) said annular sealing wall portion and said dished 2,051,513 8/ 1936 Bingham 222-546 X imperforate sealing portion of the screw cap defin- 3,216,630 11/1965 Stull 222499 ing a restricting annular space in which the tubular 10 3,276,640 10/1966 Kessler 222-546 portion of the body member is frictionally received,

(c) said annular space communicating with said plu- WALTER SOBIN Primary Examine"- 

1. A CAPTIVE CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION FOR A CONTAINER, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A CLOSURE BODY MEMBER HAVING A MAIN AXIS AND HAVING A CENTRALLY DISPOSED TUBULAR PORTION EXTENDING ALONG SAID AXIS AND CONSTITUTING A DISCHARGE PASSAGE, SAID TUBULAR PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR TOP RIM PROVIDED WITH A SMOOTH BORE, (B) A SCREW CAP TURNABLY CARRIED ON SAID BODY MEMBER AND MOVABLY AXIALLY THEREON, (C) SAID SCREW CAP HAVING A PERIPHERAL TOP WALL PORTION, AND HAVING AT A LEVEL BELOW SAID TOP WALL PORTION A DISHED, HOLLOW AND IMPERFORATE SEALING AND LIQUID-BLOCKING PORTION ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AND BE FRICTIONALLY RECEIVED IN THE ANNULAR TOP RIM OF THE TUBULAR DISCHARGE PORTION OF THE BODY MEMBER TO SEAL AGAINST THE SAME WHEN THE SCREW CAP IS IN A LOWER POSITION ON THE BODY MEMBER, SAID DISHED IMPERFORATE SEALING PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR, RADIALLY INWARDLY YIELDING FREE BOTTOM RIM SURROUNDING A CENTRAL SPACE WHICH IS AT ALL TIMES IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE SPACE DEFINED BY THE BORE OF SAID ANNULAR TOP RIM, SAID BOTTOM RIM BEING AXIALLY SLIDABLE IN AND ALONG SAID ANNULAR TOP RIM, (D) CONNECTOR MEANS JOINING SAID DISHED IMPERFORATE SEALING PORTION AND PERIPHERAL TOP WALL PORTION OF THE SCREW CAP, SAID CONNECTOR MEANS INCLUDING A SUPPORTING WALL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PORTIONS AND TO WHICH THE SEALING PORTION IS JOINED, SAID CONNECTOR MEANS HAVING AT LEAST ONE DISCHARGE PASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH IT, TO CARRY SUBSTANCE FOR DISCHARGE FROM THE CONTAINER WHEN THE SCREW CAP IS IN A RAISED POSITION ON THE BODY MEMBER, WITH ITS SEALING PORTION REMOVED FROM THE TOP RIM OF THE BODY MEMBER. 